Hygrometer



Jan, 5, 1932. I -A VERNE c. sTuRGls ET Al. 1,839,903

HYGROMETER Original Filed Aug. 8, 1927 ym. d m E. MEE

Patented Jan. 5, 1932 Unirse sf'rA-'resi PATE-Nr eprice MESNE' ASSIGNMENT-TO THE: BUCKEYE INGUBATQR-MANUFAGTUIRING COMPANY,- 0FBELAHVV'OO1), OHIO,=A .CORPORATION 0:5"0121110V HYGROMETER Application filed August 8, 19727,' Serial- No. 311,344. Renewed July 24,L 1929.

This invention rrelates to improvements in hygrometers, it more-particularly relating to tain a uniform degree of humidity, water beingevaporatedciny the chamber for that purpose.- In order that the proper degreeof humidity mayy be maintained however it is necessary to indicate to the'operator thel percentage of moisturein the air confined inV the chamber so that the amount of 'moisture supplied maybe correspondingly regulated.`

Anobj ect of "our invention is toprovide an instrument which can-be installed in the wall of 'the incubating chamber whichk is responsive to the humidityl of the air inthe incubator and whose reading `can be'l observed from the outside of the incubator.

A furtherand .more specific objectief .the invention is .to provide an instrument for the purposespecied embodying athermometer ofthe wet bulb type which canbe installed as a unit and so constructed that a moisture conveying wick may' beef'fectivelyr applied to the tube of the thermometer upon the inside of the incubating chamber anda reading of the tube be taken from the out.

side of the incubating chamber; a'further object being'to incorporate as a partof the instrumenta supporting bracket for a wat-er container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an instrument of the character described which hasthe tube formedwith a con'ipara tively long` ,wick `receiving portion .for fur# rushing greater accuracy by provid-.inge rela,

tively larger surface for.evaporationyand'to also furnish a. .more-convenient way of attaching thewick tothe bulb and for readilyreversing the end-to-end positionfof the wick? relativelyto tl e bulband Watercontainer.

A further object of the invention is to provide for so'supportingcthe water container-.as toeliminate interference'withthe currents of air'iowing over theA bulb toctherebyf-insure `a suiiicientvelocity of air 'over the bulb to secure the necessary evaporation' yto indicatev accurately the humidity.

In lthe accompanying drawings: n Fig. l is -a side elevation of an instrument embodying our improvements shown attached to the wall of an incubator, aportion' of which is shown in section.

Fig. 2" isa plan view of ar portionofithe same;- e

Fig. 3 is a section on the line a-a of Fig. 1l Fig. 4 is a front elevation. Fig. 5 is a section on the line b-o'of Fig'. 45 Referring to the drawings, l represents a Supportfor'a thermometer tube whichv is 'in-A the greater portion of the bent portionQ of.

the "tube so` as to'rfo'rmr a protector for vthe same, the outer end of this tubular member being interiorly'threaded to receive a cap 5 which lis used to protect the .extremeouter end of 'the portion 2. during shipment, the cap being removed when the instrument is installed. V` l Y A bracketis provided to support a small, container 'Z for .water,. this'container .being inthe formv of a bottlethe neck of which is inserted between a pairv of spring.. fingers 8 connected by-an intermediate portion 9 which is secured to oneend of the bracket. The other end of the bracket is securedfbetween the members of "a two-part clamp 10, which. also embrace the inner end fof the tube 4,- a screw 11 being. employed tozsecure these clamping members firmly to the tubular member and bracket. The water container-has a tubular wick 12whichis placed upon the projecting end ofthe portion 2 ofthe thermometer tube to convey moisture thereto from the water container.

In installing the instrument an opening 13 is drilled in the wall 14 of the incubator chamber of a size to receive the boss 3 and the casing l Iis secured to the outer surface of the'wall 14 by screws 15; the bracket 6 dicatedat 2,` the tube havinga bent portionv being fastened to the tube 4 after the tube has been inserted through the opening 13 and the wick slipped to position on the outer end of the portion 2 of the tube, after the cap is removed. The space between the metal tube4. and the portion 2 is illed with material such as asbesto-s as indicated at 16 which acts as a cushion support and heat insulator for the thermometer tube. By this arrangement the thermometer tube is'responsive to the evaporation of the moisture carried by the Wick and is also responsive to the temperature of the incubating chamber. As the temperature of the chamber remains uniform at substantially 100 degrees, the degree of moisture can be ascertained by comparison with a known vdegree which themercury `should Y indicate when the proper humidity of the air in the incubator chamber is had. For instance, in practice it has been found that with a temperature of 100 degrees, if it is desired to have a humidity of 4;() percent the hygrometer reading should beSO degrees. By suitably regulating the supply of moisture therefore to the incubating chamber to maintain the hygrometer reading at 8O degrees a proper percentage of humidity can be secured.

By this arrangement, an instrument is provided which may be so installed upon an incubator that the tube will be responsive to temperature and evaporation in the incubating chamber and ay reading indicating the percentage of moisture in the air in the incubating chamber be observed from the exterior lof the incubator. Also, by having the thermometer tube` provided with a relative-1 ly long bent portion, a relatively larger sur# face for evaporation is secured resulting in a more accurate device. This form of thermometer tube also eliminates the necessity 'of tying the wick above and below the bulb,

as with a bulb of the globular type, in order to have the proper contact between the surface of the bulb and the wick. Another feature Iin connection with this form of thermometer tube isthat the wick may be readily removed and its position reversed; that is, the end of the wick which is formerly on the tube may be placed in the bottle and the other end on the tube so that the fluit" from the chicks which accumulates on the wick will be removed. Another advantage in .the arrangement of this instrument results in so positioning the water container and its bracket that there will be no interference with the vertically directed currents of air, so that a suiiicient velocity of the air passing directly over the tube may be secured toprovide the required degree of evaporation to indicate the true condition of humidity. In connection with this latter feature, it should be stated that in the drawing the parts are positioned for upwardly directed currents of air and that in the event the installation was made in an incubator in which the currents of air are downwardly directed, the bracket would be attached to the tube 4L so as to be beneath the same by having those portions of the clamping member 10 which embrace the bracket extended downwardly instead of upwardly asV in the drawings, the bracket being so applied to the clamping member that the spring arms 8 are at a lower elevation than the horizontal portion of the bracket.

. Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an instrument of the character described, a thermometer tube having a bent portion, and means for supporting the tube on the outer side of the 4wall of a structure with the bent portion extending through the wall so as to be located on the inner side thereof and arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from a water container, the space about a part at least of said bent portion being unobstructed whereby said bent portion may be located in the direct path of air currents in said structure.

2. In an instrument ot' the character described, a thermometer tube having an angularly-projecting portion, and means for supporting the tube on the outer side of the wall of a structure with the angular portion extending through said wall and located on the inner side of said wall and having an exposed portion arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from a water container, the space about a part at least of said bent portion being unobstructed whereby said bent portion may be located in the direct path of air currents in said structure. y

8. In an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube arranged to be positioned on the outer side of the wall of a structure, a thermometer tube mounted on said support having an elongated angularly projecting portion projecting through saidv wall and arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from a I.

water container, the space about a part at least of said bent portion being unobstructed whereby said bent portion lmay be located in the direct path of'air currents in said structure.

JeIn an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube having a projecting boss on its rear side, said support being arranged to be positioned on the outer side of the wall of a structure with theboss fitted in an opening in said wall, a thermometer tube mounted on said support having an angularly-extending portion projecting through said boss so as to lie on the inner side of said wall, said portion being termed to receive a moisture conveyer extending from a water container.

5. In an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube arranged to be positioned on the outer side ot Lasogooe the Wall of a struc-ture, a tubular member connected with said support and projecting through said Wall to the inner side thereof, a thermometer tube carried by said support having an angularly-projecting portion house-d by said tubularv member, said portion being arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from a Water container.

6. In an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube arranged to be positioned on the outer side of the Wall of a structure, a tubular member connected with said support and projecting through said Wallto the inner side thereof, a thermometer tube carried by said support having an angularly-projecting portion housed by said tubular member, awater container, said angularly projecting portion being arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from said Water container, and a bracket carried by said tubular member arranged to support said Water container.

7. In an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube arranged to be positionedron the outer side of the Wall of a structure, a tubular member connected With said support and projecting through said Wall to the inner side thereof, a. Water container supported by said member, a thermometer tube carried by said support having an angularly-projecting portion housed by said tubular member, said portion being arranged to receive a moisture conveyer extending from said Water container, and a tubular Wick in said Water container arranged to be slipped upon the end of said bulb.

8. In an instrument of the character vdescribed, a support for a thermometer tube mounted on the outer side of a Wall, a thermometer tube carried by said support, a member extending from said support through said Wall, a hanger secured to said member, `a Water container detachably carried by said hanger, said tube having an angularly-projecting portion projecting through said Wall and 1arotected by said member, and a tubular Wick sleeved on the inner end of said angularly-projecting portion and extending to said container.

9. In an instrument of the character described, a thermometer tube having an angularly-projecting portion, a support for said tube, a tubular member projecting from said support to house a portion of said angularlyprojecting portion With the end thereof projecting therefrom, and a cap adapted to be removably attached to the end of said tubular member to house the projecting end of said angular portion of the tube during shipment. i

10. InV an instrument of the character described, a support for a thermometer tube, a tubular member extending from said support in an angular direction, a theremometer suspending a vvaterv container from `saidr bracket.V

Il. In an instrumentof the character described, a support, a thermometer tube mounted on said support, said tube having an angularly extending portion, an extension projecting from said support to shield said angularly-extending portion, with said portionV having an exposed part projecting beyond said extension, a bracket supported by said extension and extending beyond the same in line with the exposed portion of said tube, means for adjustably securing the bracket to said extensionso that it may be supported either above or below said exposed portion of the bulb, and a Water container removably secured to said bracket out of vertical alignment with the exposed portion of said tube.

l2. Inan instrument of the character described, a thermometer tube having expansible liquid therein and provided i 'ith an elongated angularly projecting bulb, a support for said tube positioned on the outer side of the Wall of a structure and provided With indicia co-operating with the liquid, said bulb being extended through said Wall so as to be located on the inside of the structure and arranged to receive a moistur-e conveyor extending from a Water container in said structure, said Water container being so positioned as to leave the space about said bulb unobstructed whereby the bulb is responsive to the direct action of air currents 1n said structure. j

13. In an instrument of the characterdescribed, a thermometer tube having a projecting portion with a part thereof at least exposed, means for supporting said exposed part of said tube in a structure in a substantially horizontal position, a Water container, a moisture conveyor extending from said container to the exposed part of said tube, and means for supporting said container with relation to the exposed portion of said tube such that said exposed tube part will be in the dir-ect path of aircurrents in said structure.

14. In an instrument of the rcharacter' described, a support attached to the Wall of a structure, a thermometer tube carried by said support having` a portion cooperating with indicia on said support and another portion which projects at an angle thereto, a tubular member carried by said suppor;J surround- -ing said angularly extending portion of said. tube but leaving the end thereof exposed, a Water container, a moisture conveying member extending from said Water container to said exposed part of said thermometer tube,

iso

and a Support Connected'with said tubular member fol* supporting said Water container out of vetcz' alnment with the exposed. part of said thermometelftube. Y

1n testimony Where-of, We haverhereunto set our hands.

LA VERNE C. STURGIS. CHARLES E. GRAIN. 

